Effect of nitriding-quenching and carburizing-quenching processes on the wear resistance of the sintered pure iron

In the present study, we have examined the wear properties of the sintered pure iron subjected to two distinct heat treatments such as nitriding-quenching (NQ) and carburizing-quenching (CQ). Based on our current observations, the martensite layer was formed on the surface layer following each treatment, whereas the hardness of the NQ martensite was much higher than that of the CQ one. The wear of the CQ specimen was slightly smaller than that of the NQ martensite, despite the lower value of the initial hardness. Meanwhile, the hardness of the CQ surface after the sliding tests significantly elevated relative to the NQ surface resulting in the better wear resistance. EBSD analysis demonstrated that the plastic deformation on the CQ surface along the sliding direction. Furthermore, the micro area X-ray diffraction along the surface layer of the CQ surface showed that a small amount of the retained austeite which reduced locally during the test. Therefore, the CQ-treated surface showed the excellent wear resistivity due to the surface hardening by the stress-induced transformation of the retained austenite dispersed in the martensite, in addition to the strain hardening of the martensite itself. In contrast, the worn surface of the NQ specimen showed slight plastic deformations of the ferrite grains beneath the martensite layer, but not in the surface martensite layer. This deformation under the martensite layer was due to the hardness gap between inward and the heat-treated surface, and might contribute to form the concave profile on the sliding surface. Consequently, this study could demonstrate such the difference in the wear mechanisms between the CQ and the NQ specimens.